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Wildfires: Burned area across Europe reaches size of Luxembourg

While Madrid braces for "difficult hours ahead", Portugal puts municipalities on maximum wildfire alert. Which countries have suffered the worst damage so far?

Europe News

EU wildfire strategy falls short as Europe burns

The European Commission’s wildfire strategy, presented in March, has fallen short as Spain and France face large-scale evacuations and thousands of hectares have already burned. Meanwhile, EU countries have stalled progress on key forest-management rules.

Nature

Why beavers could be a secret weapon against Europe’s wildfires

Beavers’ penchant for dam building has created natural fire breaks across Europe, which could help tackle deadly blazes.

Europe News

Wildfires expose Europe’s fragile response to new climate reality

As Spain and France battle devastating fires, Brussels is expanding its civil protection efforts – but the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are raising questions over who is responsible for Europe's lack of preparedness.

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Economy

French wildfires threaten defence sites and hit regional economy

The fires have forced evacuations and protective measures at strategically important aerospace and defence sites, while preventing thousands of businesses from operating normally.

Europe News

Europe is burning: How bad could this wildfire crisis get?

Wildfires are sweeping across Spain and France, leaving a trail of destroyed homes, scorched forests and mass evacuations. With temperatures expected to rise this week, other southern countries are at risk.

Health news

Two-thirds of children exposed to extreme temperatures in Europe

Six months into 2026, three times more children were exposed to extreme temperatures compared to the whole of 2025, according to a child rights organisation.

Europe News

Euroviews. Heat, drought, fire: Europe needs to restore wetlands and rivers

Experts from environmental organisations, including WWF, are calling in an op-ed for Euronews for urgent action to adapt to a changing climate. By placing the restoration of landscapes and healthy water systems at the heart of climate legislation can help to reducing climate risks at their root.

France

France wildfire: Le Porge residents work to stop fire from reigniting

Residents in Le Porge, in southwestern France's Gironde region, are working to prevent a devastating wildfire from reigniting by spraying water on smouldering forest embers. The blaze destroyed at least 170 homes, while smoke continues to rise from the scorched landscape as recovery begins.

Europe News

France and Spain battle to control wildfires ahead of new heatwave

EU officials have warned that "extreme conditions" are looming across parts of Europe, with the wildfire situation expected to worsen in France, Spain and Portugal.

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Spain wildfires leave destruction across Ávila province

Firefighters battle wildfires in central Spain as burned homes, cars and scorched landscapes reveal the devastation across Ávila province.

Europe News

'Out of capacity': EU scrambles for planes in fight against wildfires

The European Commission has activated its emergency response system to support France and Spain as they battle wildfires. France has received seven firefighting aircraft and four helicopters, while Spain has been provided with six aircraft and three ground firefighting teams.

Europe News

Hundreds of thousands evacuated in France and Spain as wildfires rage

In Spain, some elderly evacuees who fled a town in the Madrid area are reportedly being allowed to return home on Monday as fire crews work to stabilise a blaze that has ravaged areas around the capital.

Europe News

More than 320,000 now evacuated in France and Spain amid wildfires

According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, around 2,500 firefighters, including a Swiss team, have been deployed to tackle fires in southwestern France.

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Red sun, orange sky as Madrid battles worst wildfire in its history

Wildfires near Madrid and Ávila forced tens of thousands to evacuate, turning the sky orange and the sun blood-red over affected towns.

Europe News

Evacuations ordered in Bordeaux suburbs as wildfires continue

In Spain, fires are continuing to rage in the Madrid area and in the province of Ávila, with tens of thousands forced to flee their homes.

Earth News

Wildfire smoke kills long after the flames go out, expert warns

"Climate change, wildfires and air pollution is a vicious circle," says Clean Air Fund CEO Jane Burston – and toxic particles can travel thousands of kilometres.

Europe News

Wildfires trigger mass evacuations across France and Spain

French forces have joined operations near Bordeaux after blazes forced 110,000 to flee the south-west. In Spain, military units are leading efforts under a national emergency as merged fires near Madrid and Ávila displaced or confined 60,000 people.

Europe News

Wildfires up 57% in Europe in just four years, WHO warns

As wildfires rage across parts of Europe, the WHO has warned of a sharp rise in wildfires across the region and their growing toll on human health.

Tech News

Spain's Galicia bets big on satellite AI to prevent summer 'megafires'

Galicia is rolling out AI-powered cameras and satellites to detect wildfires within minutes, hoping to avoid a repeat of last August's devastating wildfire destruction.